Film is an incredible way to tell stories that otherwise go unheard or are disregarded. So when it comes to the missing and murdered indigenous women crisis that continues to be inadequately addressed in North America, the more awareness we can bring to the issue, the better.

This makes the selection of Fancy Dance to the 2023 Sundance Film Festival lineup notable. Directed by Erica Tremblay, this is a narrative that squarely addresses many of the unfortunate situations indigenous communities have to deal with in a way that is earnest, even if it’s not as compelling as it could be. 

Following the mysterious disappearance of her sister, Jax (Lily Gladstone) is exploring every avenue possible to find her. However, Jax is faced with the insurmountable task of navigating convoluted protocols and motivating disinterested authorities who have evidently placed her sister’s missing persons case at the bottom of their priorities list. To complicate things, she also finds herself at risk of losing custody of her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson), whom she has been taking care of since the disappearance. With a criminal record from years ago impeding her objectives, Jax has a hard time accomplishing anything without her character being called into question.

Unaware of the dire circumstance regarding her mother, Roki remains resolute in fulfilling her and her mother’s tradition of participating in the mother-daughter dance at Oklahoma City’s powwow event. But as the situation between Jax, her estranged father, Frank (Shea Whigham), and the authorities devolves, Jax decides to take up extreme measures in an attempt to both find her sister and fulfill Roki’s desire to attend and dance at the powwow.

It’s easy to draw comparisons between Fancy Dance and a movie like The Justice of Bunny King, both being films that reflect the plights of a mother figure condemned by social systems for her less than perfect legal history, and both following that mother character as she takes matters into her own hands. The film also shares themes with another recent Native American drama/thriller, Catch The Fair One, which also tells of an indigenous woman following an increasingly dangerous series of clues to find her missing sister. But for some, drawing these comparisons may reveal the deficiencies of Fancy Dance. It’s a gritty story that lacks grit; an infuriating set of circumstances that lacks attitude; a gut wrenching narrative that lacks a punch.

What Fancy Dance does well through its narrative, however, is demonstrate the challenges, difficulties, and frustrations involved with Native American communities trying to provoke urgency out of authorities for missing persons cases. And through this lens, the series of setbacks that Jax endures make her seemingly questionable decisions make more sense as we follow her story. Every choice she makes has good intentions behind it, and that natural progression of events makes it easier to be in someone else’s shoes and lend more empathy to their situation.

Tremblay, after all, is earnest in her effort to put forth realistic and compelling indigenous stories. Her short film, Little Chief (which also starred Gladstone), is a poignant snapshot of the life of a schoolgirl who is subject to the underprivileged conditions many indigenous communities deal with. While Little Chief is more of a slice of life story, Fancy Dance bakes these indigenous issues into a larger narrative, and the spotlight on such struggles by itself will make this film worthwhile for many. 

In the end, Fancy Dance demonstrates a heart and passion for the stories of missing and murdered indigenous women and their families. This is a topic that not only needs more exposure, but deserves authentically crafted stories to convey the circumstances these communities are subjected to. Fancy Dance, at the very least, accomplishes that objective.

Acting/Casting - 1 | Visual Effects and Editing - 1 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 1 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 1 | Reviewer’s Preference - 1 | What does this mean?